Cebu Pacific Air handled the bulk of domestic cargo volume in the first quarter of the year, data from Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) showed.
From January to March, the budget carrier airlifted 25.886 million kilograms of cargo, accounting for 48.1% of the 53.827 million kg total domestic cargo throughput carried by eight airlines.
Cebu Pacific vice president for corporate communication Atty. Juan Lorenzo Tañada told PortCalls in a text message the airline attributes its performance “to having the widest domestic network footprint in the Philippines, established presence in key markets/cities and highly competitive rates.”
PAL Express placed second, transporting 12.083 million kg representing 22.4% of the total, followed by sister company Philippine Airlines which carried 8.888 million kg or 16.5% of the aggregate.
Another budget carrier, Air Asia Zest, ranked fourth cornering 7.8% of the total market with 4.174 million kg.
Landing in fifth place was Tigerair Philippines. The airline that was recently acquired by Cebu Pacific secured 1.834 million kg or 3.4%.
Accounting for 1.5% of the total market was Air Asia with 821,484 kg, followed by Island Transvoyager with 121,872 kg or 0.23%. Island Transvoyager is the only airline with direct flights to and from Manila-El Nido, Palawan and vice versa.
Meanwhile, leisure airline Magnum Air handled 18,404 kg or 0.03% of the total throughput.
In 2013, all eight carriers transported 226.888 million kg of air cargo. — Roumina Pablo
